


Sacred Ink

by lulupickles



Category: Stephanie Plum - Janet Evanovich
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-22 12:07:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30038457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lulupickles/pseuds/lulupickles
Summary: Stephanie realizes she’s not fated to be the typical Burg woman. It doesn’t take long for her to realize her mother is manipulating her. She fights her demons as she discovers her inner strength. Her new soulmates assist in her self improvement, both mentally and physically. She meets her romantic soulmate as she embarks on a new path in her life. Stephanie will have her HEA with Ranger.
Relationships: Ricardo Carlos Manoso/Stephanie Plum
Comments: 7
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU story. NOT cannon. Soulmate type story where platonic soulmates show as grey and romantic show as black markings on your body. Most soul marks are visible at birth, but some appear or change as the character ages.   
> I don’t own the characters, Janet Evanovich does. I’m just having fun playing with them.

Chapter 1

Could this day possibly get any worse? Crap! Why did I have to say that? I can see Lenny Gruber following me in his tow truck. He works for the repo company and the luxury of driving my Miata has nearly come to an end.

Hi, I’m Stephanie Plum. I’m only 30, 5’7” tall with brown curly hair and blue eyes. I was born and raised in Chambersburg New Jersey. However, everyone refers to my community as the Burg where most of the residents are Italian. My body shape is okay, but I will never win a beauty pageant with only a 36B bra size or be classified as sexy. Most people say my looks are average, but I disagree. I know I have that innocent ‘girl next door’ vibe going on. My looks are definitely not average. Valerie is average and me? I’m way below average in looks. Girls with average looks tend to have more boyfriends and dating experience than I do.

I have only been intimate with 2 men. Unfortunately, I married one of them thinking he was my romantic soulmate. When I look back at our relationship, it would appear someone interfered. He said the right words, I should really say word, my romantic soulmate will only say exactly one word. Dickie claimed my words were written on his body, but he refused to show me them. It wasn’t until I saw him knocking boots with Joyce Barnhardt when I finally saw the words. The script was similar to my handwriting, but it obviously was not mine. How could he do this to me? A person’s romantic soulmate mark is like sacred ink. It should never be duplicated as a tattoo and kept a secret by your parents. It certainly should never used as a way to manipulate another person. It didn’t take long to discover Mom told Dickie what my romantic soulmate mark said. I was too naive. Our explosive divorce is still the talk in the Burg.

The second man I’ve been intimate with was Joe Morelli. When I was 16, I allowed him to talk me out of my pants. Other than marrying Dickie Orr, it was the largest mistake of my life. Unknown to me, after our encounter Morelli wrote a poem about our encounter in all the men’s washrooms in the Burg. He left for the Navy the next day. I was completely distraught and needed to talk to someone. The following day, I went to visit my Mazur grandparents. Grandpa and I talked about what happened. I told him everything including not really wanting to have sex with Joe. He said if I didn’t have sex with him, he’d spread nasty rumours about me. If I let him take me, he’ll be lenient and protect what we’ve shared. Grandpa made me realize it still wasn’t consensual sex and should not be romanticized. Morelli’s actions was classified as rape. “Morelli’s coercion was rape Stephie,” he explained. “He still forced himself on you. Do you want to press charges?”

“If I press rape charges, will I have to testify?” My greatest fear was everyone in the Burg finding out, especially Mom. I was also afraid Dad would be disappointed in me.

“Probably, but since I know he left for the Navy today, it would have to wait until he finishes his training. We could always begin the procedure and hope the Navy discharges him immediately.”

“When will that be?” I wanted to know the timeline involved.

“Between 3 and 4 years. Unless he’s discharged for misconduct.”

“I honestly don’t think it’s worth pressing charges Grandpa. If I press charges and the Navy doesn’t discharge him, I’ll be waiting for years just to have to experience it all over again. I really want to forget about what happened and move on.”

“Alright. I’ll follow your lead for now. You can’t live in denial land forever. Let me know if you change your mind,” he said, knowing I would forge ahead without Joe receiving retribution for his crime. “Promise you’ll stay away from him when he returns.”

“I promise. I’m feeling a bit itchy down there. Is that normal?” I asked not feeling remotely embarrassed.

“We’ll have to ask your Grandma. I don’t know if that’s normal for a girl’s first sexual experience.” He held my hand as we told Grandma everything. I could see the anger in her eyes. 

Grandma Mazur insisted on taking me to a Newark clinic to be examined. Grandpa drove while Grandma had her arms wrapped around me as we sat in the back seat. The doctor said it was fortunate my periods were irregular. I asked about the possibility of contracting an STD since he didn’t use protection and I was feeling itchy there. After receiving results from a swab, she prescribed antibiotics for the STD and birth control to regulate my periods.

Dad asked me about the messages written on the men’s washroom walls. He realized his error when he noticed Mom was still in the room. So much for nobody finding out. Joe lied and I felt ashamed. Dad was called to an emergency Post Office convention, at least that’s what he told Mom. I knew he was an Army Ranger and was called away on a mission. He left before Mom doled out my punishment for having sex with Morelli. I was already ashamed, but I felt Mom’s summer long punishment was too harsh. It was sheer luck I didn’t get pregnant.

Back to my current dilemma. If Lenny repossessed my car, I would have no way to get back home. Luck, if you call it that, was on my side tonight. I stopped at the next red light and ran a few cars back to Lenny’s tow truck. “Can you please wait until tomorrow? I’m going to my parents’ house for dinner and I need to get back home.” Lenny Gruber and I went to school together. He had a crush on me for many years.

“I will wait until you get home,” he easily agreed. I released a breath in relief before running back to my car. He turned at the light, leaving me to continue driving towards my parents.

I arrived at my parents’ house with a minute to spare. Thank goodness the roast won’t be dry. Mom and Grandma were waiting at the door for me. Grandma pulled me into her arms before allowing me to enter the house. She whispered, “I’ll have your father drop the car off tomorrow.” How does she know?

“Hi Daddy,” I said before kissing him on the cheek. He was sitting in his chair watching the Rangers game in the living room.

“Hey Pumpkin,” he replied with a smile. Dad has the most amazing smile. His entire face lights up whenever he sees me. I sat on the couch closest to him and reached for his hand. His fingers wrapped around my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Dinner’s ready!” Mom yelled from the dining room. We held hands as we walked into the dining room. Mom huffed when she saw our joined hands.

Dad and I were very close. He took a more active role in my life after the event with Morelli. I told him about the ‘Choo choo’ incident when I was 6. He was away on a mission and Mom never mentioned it to him. If he had known, he would have made more of an effort to ensure Morelli stayed far away from me. Dad was very pleased when I hit Morelli with his Buick when I was 18. He returned from the Navy a few weeks earlier. I remember overhearing him in the store bragging about the number of ‘cherries’ he popped in high school. When he mentioned my name and the poems, I dropped my basket and left. I waited until he left the store before ‘accidentally’ hitting him. Fortunately my Godfather Joe Juniak was the Police Chief at the time, so I wasn’t charged. If he had known what Morelli did to me, he would never have hired him on the Trenton Police Force. He vowed to keep a close eye on him.

As we ate dinner, Dad asked how my job. He knew the EE Martin CEO was indicted for his mob affiliations and his business was sold to Baldicott Inc. “I’m sure you heard what happened at EE Martin around 6 months ago. As a result of the sale and housekeeping, I was laid off through no fault of my own. I haven’t been able to find another job. The temporary jobs never turned into full time positions. I was overqualified for entry level jobs and under qualified for the management jobs available. Nobody wants to hire a previous EE Martin employee,” I explained.

“How are you for money?” Grandma asked. From the gleam in her eye, I knew she was aware of my dwindling funds.

“Getting a bit tight. It’s the only reason I moved back to Trenton,” I admitted. “If I stayed in Newark, I would’ve been broke within a few months. I have enough to get me by for the next few weeks, but I already missed 3 car payments. My car will be repossessed by tomorrow morning.”

Dad quickly glanced at Grandma before telling me, “Your cousin Vinnie is looking for a file clerk at Plum Bail Bonds. You should talk to him about the job.” I quickly promised to visit him the next day.

True to his word, Lenny left my car alone. I noticed his tow truck as I pulled into the lot of my apartment building. After thoroughly searching my car, I waved to him before removing the car key from my key ring. I put the key into the ignition before locking and closing the door. He laughed as I gave him a finger wave over my shoulder. Why should I make it easy for him? I’m sure he has a slim Jim to pop the lock.

By the time I carried my belongings upstairs, the car was hooked to the tow truck and removed. Thank goodness Grandma was letting me use her car.

The following morning, I loaded my TV, VCR and microwave into Grandma’s blue Buick. She inherited the car from her brother Sandor. My uncle Sandor’s car was a powder blue 1953 Buick. Nothing about this car screamed sexy. It was definitely a car only men could truly love.

I put my hand into my jeans pocket and felt paper. My eyes filled with tears when I pulled out $100 and realized Grandma slipped me the money when I hugged her last night. I drove to Blue Ribbon, the used auto dealer, and bartered to purchase a $500 Nova. It was a piece of shit car, but what else do you expect from trading a TV, VCR, microwave and a hundred bucks for a car worth $500?

After our transaction, I talked the salesman into following me to my parents’ house to drop off the borrowed car. He left the Nova running at the curb before running down the road, distancing himself as he called for a cab.

After returning Grandma’s car, I got into my POS Nova and drove home to change. I pulled on a skirt and a nice top before driving to the Bonds office. The storefront had a blue and white sign over the door. It read ‘Vincent Plum Bail Bonding Company’ and in smaller script boasted 24 hour nationwide service. I gave an involuntary shiver as I opened the door to enter the office.

Connie Rosolli was seated behind the reception desk applying red nail polish to her nails. “How can I help you?” she asked before looking up. “Stephanie Plum? What are you doing here?”

“I’m applying for the filing position?” I replied with a question.

“I’m so sorry. That position has been filled. We have an opening for a BEA. Our usual guy Morty Beyers has a ruptured appendix. He went in for surgery last night,” Connie offered.

My cousin burst from his office to yell, “You cannot be a BEA. Uncle Frank will kill me if anything happens to you.”

I pushed him into his office where I blackmailed him into hiring me. To protect his secrets from being exposed to his wife Lucille, he agreed to give me a chance. If I could catch Joseph Morelli in 2 weeks, the job was mine. I groaned when he mentioned Joe’s name. Will I ever be able to escape this creep?

Connie gave me the file and details to capture Morelli. I took the file home to plan my approach. If I can’t find an adequate starting place, I’ll ask Connie for help.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie briefly reflects on the platonic soulmates she met at school. She receives help from friends and family.

Chapter 2

When I was 5, I met 2 of my platonic soulmates. Mary Lou was playing in the sandbox when a red haired chubby girl threw sand in her face. I grabbed my water bottle and spare T-shirt from my backpack to help her clean her eyes. “I have some water and a shirt for you,” I said as I sat beside her.

“Thank you, you’re very kind,” she replied.

“Those words are on my leg. Let me help you clean your eyes.”

“Okay. I’m Mary Lou Molnar,” she said as I helped her bend over to rinse her eyes.

A boy was watching and rushed over to help. “Hold her hair and keep her in this position,” he said as he repositioned Mary Lou. “That’s it. Now wait until I finish.” Mary Lou flinched. “Keep your eyes open. We need to get rid of the sand,” he added when Mary Lou tried closing her eyes. When the water bottle was empty, the sand was finally rinsed from her eyes.

“How did you know what to do?” I asked the boy as I passed my shirt to Mary Lou to dry off her face. He gasped.

“My dad’s a police officer. I need to see my words,” he demanded. I pulled up my pant legs to show Mary Lou her words on my right leg and the boy’s words on my left leg.

“I’m Stephanie Plum. You are?” I asked the boy.

“Eddie Gazarra.” He showed me my words on his left arm. Mary Lou used the opportunity to show me my words on her left leg. I was extremely happy. I found 2 of my platonic soulmates on the very first day of school.

“Why did you have your backpack?” Mary Lou asked me.

“Oh. I have special permission to keep it close. If I don’t drink enough water, I get too dehydrated. Dad says it helps keep me stay focused,” I explained.

The red haired girl shrieked and laughed. She stopped laughing long enough to say, “It’s because you’re too hyper. My Mom says if you’re busy drinking water, you can’t open your mouth to spill out all your thoughts. It also stops you from running around pretending to be Wonder Woman.” I had no idea what her problem is. She doesn’t seem like a very nice girl.

“I used to play with her until she started getting mean,” Mary Lou whispered. “Her name is Joyce Barnhardt.”

I heard about her family. Her dad left when she was a few years old. I overheard Mom tell someone on the phone that he discovered he wasn’t her biological dad. She said one of the other Burg fathers was really her dad. Mom talks, I mean gossips, to the other mothers in the Burg. They’ve been working together to figure out who is Joyce’s dad. I’m so glad she isn’t my sister.

Shaking my mind from the memory, I looked at my romantic soulmate mark written below my breasts. I twisted to read the marks on my back. Two new marks appeared recently. I was concerned about one of them. Who says those words to people?

I quickly showered and dressed to start my day searching for Morelli. After an embarrassing conversation with his mom, I decided I could use more help.

Before calling Connie for assistance, I called my best friend Mary Lou. “Hey Lou, I’ve been thinking about you today.”

“Hi Steph. I’ve been thinking about you too. I was remembering the first day we met,” she added.

“Me too. I met Eddie that day too. Do you remember that case involving Morelli?”

“Yes. I heard he missed his hearing the other day. A bounty hunter was hired to locate him. Your cousin Vinnie is his bail agent. What have you heard?” she asked. I knew she was asking out of concern, not gossip fodder.

“More than I wanted to hear. I finally found a job.”

“You did? That’s amazing. Where do you work?” She was genuinely excited for me.

“I work for Vinnie. I’m the agent he hired.” I was reluctant to say anything else.

“Oh Steph. I’m so sorry. Do you need any help?” she readily offered, proving herself to be an excellent friend.

“Honestly, I don’t know if I do. If I can’t find him or capture him, I’ll ask Connie for help. Maybe she can ask one of the other BEAs to help train me. I’m afraid of having another relapse,” I admitted.

“You haven’t had a relapse since that incident with your ex-husband. I’ve been waiting patiently for you to tell me what happened. It’s been 3 years.”

“I know Lou. A month before I caught him with Joyce, he tried forcing me to have anal sex. He put something in my drink. My vision got all fuzzy and I felt him cuff my wrists to my ankles, forcing me to bend at my hips. He pushed me onto the bed and pulled up my skirt. I felt him cut off my panties. He lubricated his fingers and pushed them into me... there. Before he could press his penis into me, the phone rang. Dad left a message informing me Grandpa Plum died and he was on his way to pick me up. I was fortunate Dickie stopped and unlocked the cuffs. He helped me dress and took me to Dad’s car. I decided to enter denial land while I grieved for Grandpa. When I caught Dickie and Joyce doing the very act I refused to do with him, I broke. You remember what happened next. What you don’t know is after I left the house, I went to my parents’ house. Mom told me to fix my marriage. Dad wasn’t home. I went to Grandpa Mazur’s house and broke down. It took them several days to convince me to tell them what happened. Grandpa was furious and helped me find a lawyer. Dickie still managed to get the house and all the money in our joint savings account. I was left with all the legal fees and his student loans.”

“Sweetie, you could have talked to me. You know I would do anything for you.”

“I know, but you were having a difficult pregnancy with Michael. You didn’t need any additional stress.”

I told her about trading my TV, VCR and microwave for my POS car. “We need a girls night out. I’ll make the plans and give you a call, alright Honey?”

“Thanks Lou you know how to get my mind off my issues. I’ll call you later okay?”

“Okay. Stay safe. Promise you’ll ask me for help when you need it.”

“Bye Lou. I will,” I said before hanging up the phone.

It was time to make the necessary call to Connie. “Hey Connie. Have you found more information for me?” She knew exactly why I was calling. I only had one case so far.

“Yes. He’s not staying in his apartment, but nobody is willing to say where he’s currently hiding. Mooch is rumoured to know where he is. If you can follow Mooch, he may lead you directly to Joe. Good luck Steph,” she said before ending the call.

Connie gave me a lot to think about. I decided to try my luck at Morelli’s apartment. As she predicted, Mooch led me to an apartment complex on State Street where Joe was staying. It didn’t take me long to realize I had no clue how to apprehend him. I had no gun, cuffs or stun gun. “What the hell are you doing here?” he growled before pulling me into the apartment. “Are you trying to fuck up my life more than you already have?”

I saw red before shouting, “When did I fuck up your life? You, Joseph Morelli, fucked up my life. I was 6 when you first sexually assaulted me, then you raped me 10 years later.” When he made to deny any wrong doing, my knee connected with his crotch. He doubled over in pain before pulling out his gun to threaten me. Without the skills or means to disarm him, I quickly retreated and drove away. I was shaking hard when I arrived back at my apartment.

Mrs Bestler, my neighbour, noticed me shaking and watched as I attempted to unlock the door. She gently removed the keys from my hand to unlock my door for me. “There you are my dear. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you Mrs Bestler.” She retreated to the elevator to continue her daily ‘job’ of being its operator. I closed and locked the door behind me. Once I undressed and got into the shower, I started crying. I dropped to my knees as gut wrenching sobs overtook me.

The water ran cold by the time I was able to pull myself together. My apartment phone rang. It cut out when the answering machine played my greeting. Before a message was left, the person hung up and tried again. I ignored the calls and turned off the volume. My cell phone rang. I checked the display. Grandma was calling me. I connected the call, but remained silent.

“Stephie. Please talk to me. I was dreaming about your Grandfather. He said you needed me. If you want me to come over instead of talking on the phone, tap a number twice.” I pulled the phone from my ear and tapped two numbers. “I’ll have your father drop me off with my overnight bag. Hang in there baby granddaughter, I’m on my way.” She ended the call. I sat with my back leaning against my apartment door, waiting for Grandma to arrive.

A few minutes later I heard Dad say, “Pumpkin, move away from the door. I’m unlocking it to let your Grandma in.” I stood up to move. He saw my expression when he opened the door. “Oh Pumpkin,” he quietly said as he pulled me into his embrace. I let him hold me until Grandma asked him to leave.

“She’ll be fine with me Frank. I can help her. I’ll update you tomorrow pending Stephanie’s approval. Thank you for the ride. Goodbye.” Dad kissed my forehead before giving me another hug and leaving. Grandma closed and locked the door behind him.

I allowed Grandma to lead me to my couch. She found a soft cream coloured chenille knitted blanket in my linen closet to cover me. I heard her in the kitchen banging a pot on the stove. Grandma hummed as she pulled items from my fridge and cupboard. I wondered what she was making when I smelled chocolate.

She carefully carried 2 mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whip cream to the living room. I smiled as I reached for a mug. The second mug was placed on the coffee table. Grandma disappeared back into my kitchen and brought out a plate with chocolate chunk cookies. “I made these for you,” she said, handing me the plate.

“Thank you Grandma. You know exactly how to cheer me up.”

“I heard you’re working for Vinnie as a bail enforcement agent,” she stated.

“Mmhmm,” I answered. I wasn’t sure how to tell her my first case was non other than Joseph Morelli. As I waited for her to continue, I drank my hot chocolate.

She took a drink from her mug before continuing our conversation. “Your first case is that asshole who violated you,” she spat out. I couldn’t find the words to tell her how I feel about chasing down Morelli. “I heard your mother promise Angie Morelli you’ll drop your search. She was raised better than that. I can’t understand why she isn’t supporting your decision to take on his case. He deserves to spend time in prison. If he’s as innocent as Angie claims, evidence will eventually turn up to vindicate him. I personally hope they locked him up and throw away the key. They should bunk him with the biggest, meanest criminal and she how he enjoys being violated.”

“Grandma, if he’s innocent of murder, he deserves to be free. I will never forgive him for violating me, but he shouldn’t go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. I’m not defending him,” I added when I saw anger flash in her eyes.

We drank more hot chocolate and ate a few cookies. “You should have filed charges when you were raped,” she said.

“I know. It’s too late now.” I started laughing. I placed my empty mug on the coffee table before I dropped it.

“What’s so funny Stephie?”

“I doubt he’ll be able to get it up any time soon,” I said between laughs.

She smiled and asked, “Why? What did you do to him?”

“I used that defensive move Dad and Grandpa taught me. My knee hit his balls so hard I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t need help extracting them.” She joined in my laughter.

Tears streamed down my face from laughing so hard. Grandma pulled me into her arms. “Grandpa would be very proud of you,” she whispered in my ear. I nodded in agreement.

We decided to watch my favourite movie, Ghostbusters, to pass the afternoon. I ordered Chinese food from the restaurant around the corner. Grandma paid the delivery boy. “Your father gave me money for dinner,” she explained. As she handed me some cash she added, “He wants you to have this.” I counted out the money.

“This is way too much. There’s over $500 here. I can’t accept this money from Daddy.”

“Keep it for a rainy day,” she insisted. When I forcibly returned the money, she sighed before going into the kitchen. I heard the unmistakable noise of my cookie jar lid being replaced. “It’s tucked away in your safe.”

“Thank you Grandma. Daddy really didn’t need to give me money. I would have been just fine on my own.” She quickly dismissed me before putting another movie into the DVD player. It took us watching the second movie for me to realize I had a TV with a DVD player and DVDs. “Ummm... Grandma? Where did this DVD player come from? When did I get Ghostbusters on DVD?”

She smiled and patted my cheek. “I ran into your friend Mary Lou earlier today. That nice man Dillon gave us your spare keys to bring these into your apartment.” I could almost hear my Grandpa Mazur warning me not to get mad.

“Thank you Grandma. I don’t know what I would do without you and Daddy.”

“I hope you’ll never have to find out,” she easily replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie reminisces about her Grandpa explaining the meaning of the soulmate marks. As she remembers the conversation, she realized there are things she doesn’t know about her father. She finally meets her fated romantic soulmate.

Chapter 3

Before I went to bed, I used the bathroom mirror to read the marks on my body. Each group of words is written in a different script, indicating I have multiple soulmates. When I was little, Grandpa Plum explained the significance of soulmate marks.

I sat on the toilet as I remembered our conversation. “Your platonic soulmate’s first words spoken to you are written in grey on your body,” he said as he pointed to the words written on my legs. “While your romantic soulmate’s first words are written in black ink,” he continued and pointed to the location on my chest. “It’s like fate tattooed the words on your body, telling you who are important people, close friend or lover, you may encounter in your life. These words never fade like a man made tattoo, but they do disappear if that person dies. Unfortunately, not all people encounter their romantic soulmate during their lifetime. Over time, you may notice more soulmate marks on your body.”

“Why does that happen?” I asked.

“I’m not 100 percent sure, but I think it’s because a major event will happen to change the course of your life. Whenever that happens, a new mark tends to appear on your body. Your father had a different romantic soulmate mark on his body. He met her and they were married within a few months. She was pregnant before he left for his last tour in the Army. Unfortunately, she died during childbirth while he was away. You’ll need to ask your father about her when you’re older. A new romantic soulmate appeared just before he started his Ranger training.”

“Mom’s words?” I asked.

“Yes, little one, your mom’s words. I hope you get to meet your romantic soulmate. My first romantic soulmate mark disappeared when I was a young teenager. A new mark appeared a few years later. I was quite pleased when I met your grandmother,” he quickly ended the conversation as he thought about meeting Grandma. I could have asked what he was thinking, but sometimes it’s best not to know.

Mom was impatient for me to meet my soulmate. She confessed to manipulating the situation with Dickie. I had a feeling she was attempting to do the same with Morelli, but it would never work. We talked many times and if his words weren’t already on my body before our first encounter, I knew they would never show up now. I could only pray I will meet my romantic soulmate before Mom interferes again.

There are 7 groups of words in grey writing on my body, like a tattoo but with grey ink. These are my platonic soulmates. This person or people will love you unconditionally, nurture and protect you until the day you die. Some people have relatives, like cousins or siblings, as their platonic soulmates. I’m not one of those lucky people. None of my platonic soulmates are related to me. I have only met 2 of my platonic soulmates so far, Mary Lou and Eddie.

A romantic soulmate’s mark is a group of words written in black ink. Imagine the darkest shade of black. It’s nearly impossible to replicate with a man made tattoo. The black shade is difficult to match and doesn’t change from skin regeneration. I changed for bed, hoping I could get some sleep tonight. My fingers traced over the letters as I fell into a fitful sleep.

The following morning, Grandma Mazur made me breakfast before I drove her back home. As much as I love my Grandma, she snores and she’s a bed hog. I was forced to retreat to the lumpy couch to get a few hours of sleep. Note to self, do not share a bed with Grandma and no more sleepovers. A girl needs her beauty sleep.

I decided to try my luck finding my FTA. It was easy to find Morelli, but I knew I was out of my league in apprehension techniques. I decided to swallow my pride and ask Connie for help. “Hi Connie,” I greeted as I entered the Bonds office.

“Hi Steph. How’s the search going for Morelli?”

“Alright. I’ve been finding him, but he keeps slipping through my fingers. I could really use some help. There must be somebody who can help me become a badass bounty hunter.”

“I have just the person in mind. He owes me a favour. Give me a minute to call him.” I listened as she called a guy named Ranger. What kind of name is that? Who would name their child Ranger? She wrote a few things on paper before ending the call. “Here’s where to meet him. He doesn’t have a lot of free time, so try to get there on time.” She glanced outside, noticing my car for the first time. “Is that your car with the word ‘Pussy’ painted on the side?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I was on Stark Street asking a couple of hookers, Lula and Jackie, if they’d seen Morelli in the area. They promised to keep an eye out for him. While we were talking, a few teenagers decided to add ‘character’ to my car,” I admitted.

“Ranger’s full name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. He used to be special forces and is a second generation Cuban-American. You’ll know who he is the second you meet him. Be careful on Stark St. Remember to stay north of Comstock St and south of Seventh,” she warned. She didn’t need to remind me where the Comstock Slayers gang territory was located. Everyone in Trenton knew to avoid those blocks.

I went home to change for my meeting and decided to visit my Dad for lunch. There was still plenty of time before I had to meet with Ranger at 2 pm. When I called, Dad said, “Your Grandma and Mom had hair appointments so I’ll be alone for lunch. I would love to spend some time with you, Pumpkin.” Spending one on one time with Dad always relaxes me and makes me smile.

“I would love to meet you for lunch. I’ll be there soon.” I drove the few blocks into the burg and parked in front of the house. Nobody answered when I knocked on the door. Using my key to unlock the door and called out, “Hello! Daddy?”

“In the kitchen Pumpkin.” Dad was busy reheating leftover pizza in the microwave.

I sniffed the air to see if I can guess the toppings. “It smells good. Spicy sausage, peppers, mushrooms, onions and extra cheese?” I asked.

“You better believe it,” he laughed. It was our favourite pizza from Pino’s. Mom only liked pepperoni on her pizza, which in my opinion was very boring, just like the woman herself.

He handed me a plate containing 3 slices of pizza. His only had 2 slices. “You can have this one Daddy,” I offered to trade.

“It’s alright Pumpkin. I can reheat soup if I’m still hungry.” We ate in companionable silence. Eating lunch with Dad was calming my nerves. “Why are you so nervous?” he asked.

“Oh. I’m not too nervous now. Connie asked another BEA to meet me this afternoon. Hopefully he can train me how to capture Joseph Morelli.”

“What’s his name?”

“She called him Ranger.”

“What kind of name is Ranger?” he asked.

“His real name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. What happens if he refuses to help me?” I started shaking.

He seemed a bit surprised when I mentioned the BEA’s name. “Pumpkin. Tell me what else is going on. There has to be another reason why you’re so nervous.”

“I don’t know. My spidey sense is telling me this is a very important meeting. I feel my life will change once I meet him. Should I be worried? I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad feeling.” He noticed me rubbing the spot where my romantic soulmate mark is located.

“I have a strong feeling it would be a very good thing,” he simply stated.

“From your lips to God’s ears, Daddy. Thank you for lunch. I should wash my hands and get to my meeting. Last night I was thinking about the time Grandpa Plum told me about my soul marks. He mentioned something about your first romantic mark. Can you tell me about her?” I asked as I used the kitchen sink to wash my hands.

“You need to get to your meeting. How about we make a date for Thursday night? Pino’s?”

“That would be great Daddy. I love spending time with you,” I confessed. “I’ll let you know how this meeting goes.” Before I left, I kissed Dad’s cheek and hugged him goodbye. Dad seemed very quiet after I mentioned Ranger’s real name. I wonder what that was all about.

It took me almost 20 minutes to find the diner located a few blocks from the Bonds office. There was still 15 minutes until I had to meet Ranger, but I really didn’t want to be late. Connie mentioned he was busy and would refuse to wait even 1 minute past 2 pm so I had better get to the diner on time. I parked my car in the empty spot next to a new black SUV. When I entered the diner, I felt a tingling sensation on the back of my neck. I involuntarily touched my neck as I searched around the diner. In the back booth, with his back to the wall, sat a gorgeous man dressed in black with mocha latte skin and brown eyes. His shiny dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. He was watching people enter the diner. My eyes met his and I felt myself being pulled towards him. I knew instantly this was Ranger.

“Hi Batman, I’m Stephanie Plum.” I held my hand out for him to shake. When he touched my hand, I felt an electric charge pass between us. It radiated throughout my body, warming me from head to toe, cementing our invisible connection. “Connie told me to meet you here,” I continued. I watched as surprise briefly passed across his face before he shut down the emotion. His face became unreadable, like the blank face I occasionally see on Dad. I wonder if all Army men learn how to use the blank face to mask their emotions.

He quickly assessed me and said, “Babe.” I quickly released his hand to touch the soul mark. ‘Why did I call him Batman? He must think I’m crazy,’ I thought as I sat in the chair across from him. ‘I wonder if this is his writing on my body.’ “I don’t think you’re crazy for calling me Batman. Judging where you’re rubbing, I’m assuming my word is written there?” he asked as he pointed to my hand. He touched his chest and said, “I wonder if your words are written here. Before we reveal our marks, lets discuss the reason for our meeting today.”

Wow. It’s all business before pleasure. I felt my face flush when I saw his lips twitch. “Sorry, I have a habit of speaking my thoughts. Don’t worry, it’s never anything confidential. Just my personal thoughts or observations.” He chuckled.

“Good to know. Connie said you need me to teach you how to become a badass bounty hunter. Why do you want to be a bounty hunter?” he asked, assessing how serious I was regarding my career choice.

“Honestly? It was the only job I could find. That’s my car,” I pointed to the POS Nova parked beside the sleek black SUV. “I even had to blackmail my cousin Vinnie into hiring me.”

“Okay, so you need money. Is there any other reason?” he asked. I mumbled, ‘I need steady employment and taking that scumbag Morelli back to jail won’t hurt either.’

He laughed, “There’s no way you’ll be able to capture him Babe. It’s not like you’re chasing after the typical untrained criminal. Morelli is a cop. He has skills and knows how to fly under the radar.”

“Let me make myself clear, I need this job. I need to capture Morelli because my car was repossessed. The car I currently own is a POS, my refrigerator is empty and rent is due in a few weeks. I don’t have too much energy to waste on socializing. Are you going to help me or not?” I demanded.

Smiling, he answered, “Babe. I will definitely help you. We can have fun being Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle as we capture the scofflaws in Trenton.” His smile mesmerized me. I have never seen such a handsome face.

“What do I call you?” I purred.

“Use my street name Ranger while we’re in public. In private, please call me Carlos,” he growled in a sexy bedroom voice. Damn, I just ruined my panties. I watched his eyes darken.

“Out loud?” I asked. Unable to find his voice, he nodded. “I really need to learn how to control that habit.”

“I find it endearing. It certainly helps to know what you’re thinking.”

We made plans to meet tomorrow so I could purchase a gun, handcuffs and pepper spray. “Once we purchase your gun, I’ll help you apply for a license to carry concealed,” he promised. He walked me to my car and held the door open as I sat in the driver’s seat.

“Why do I need a permit? Almost everyone in Trenton own a gun and they definitely do not have a permit to carry concealed.”

“I want you to work with me. I’ve recently started my own business called Rangeman. It’s imperative for you to have a permit. Let me follow you home so we can see if our marks are written on each other.” He leaned into the car and lightly kissed my cheek.

“Okay. If you get lost, just follow the smoke,” I joked.

It took 15 minutes to arrive at my apartment. I was unlucky and had to park my car beside the dumpster. Ranger obviously was luckier, he was able to park near the door.

“How did you get that parking spot?” I complained as I met him by the door.

“The car pulled out as you were backing your car into the space beside the dumpster,” he answered.

Of course he’s not only a sexy Cuban Adonis, but he has great parking karma too. He started laughing. “Out loud?” I asked.

“Yes Babe. It was out loud. You are very good for my ego,” he huskily said.

He reached for my hand to entwine our fingers together. I felt the same electric charge pass between us. His thumb gently stroked mine as I led him towards the elevator.

I couldn’t stop myself from staring at this gorgeous Cuban Adonis holding my hand. It was unbelievable to have him fated to be my romantic soulmate. As we held hands, I knew he would be mine forever.


End file.
